The present invention relates to a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine and connection features of the injector with fuel and electrical supplies, as well as with the engine.
Known HPDI fuel injectors require a forged or machined fuel rail that has to retain the injector as well as provide for fuel and electrical connections to the injectors. Each of the known installation applications requires a unique design and special tooling. In moving to a fabricated fuel rail, it is desirable that the injector aligns and mounts directly to the head of the engine, reducing the accuracy requirement and eliminating the loading requirement of the rail. At the same time, the injector opening in the head could be simplified. Existing injectors require an opening into the head, and a larger opening to clear the body of the injector. In between these two openings, there is a transition zone which is aimed at helping lead in and locate the injector in the head. However, above the larger opening, there needs to be a breakout to provide room for the electrical connector. This breakout often provides design and installation problems for the head. Still further out, there needs to be room for the fuel rail which provides the support and location needs of the injector. At this location, the rail is often sandwiched between the runners of the intake manifold, making mounting and locating of a main gallery difficult to design and access.
It would be beneficial to provide a fuel injector which mounts directly to the head, and which minimizes the space requirements for insertion and removal for the fuel injector into and from the engine.
Briefly, the present invention provides a fuel injector. The fuel injector comprises a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough between the first end and the second end. The fuel injector also comprises a body extending along the longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end. The body includes a dielectric overmold. The fuel injector also comprises a first generally arcuate ring at least partially circumscribing the overmold. The first generally arcuate ring is adapted to electrically engage a first electrical contact.
Also, a fuel supply assembly is provided. The assembly includes an electrically actuatable fuel injector having a first end, a longitudinal axis, and a fuel channel extending generally along the longitudinal axis. The fuel injector also includes a dielectric overmold including first and second electrical contact rings disposed about an outer perimeter of the overmold. The dielectric overmold extends downstream of the first end. The assembly also includes a dielectric connector shell generally surrounding at least part of the overmold. The connector assembly has an outer perimeter and a first electrical contact extending generally longitudinally proximal to the outer perimeter. The first electrical contact has a first contact end extends outward from the longitudinal axis and a second contact end electrically engaging the first electrical contact ring. The assembly also includes an injector cup disposed over fuel injector upstream of the overmold between the fuel injector and the connector shell. The injector cup includes a first open cup end, a second cup end juxtaposed from the first open cup end, and a generally longitudinal cup channel extending from the first open cup end toward the second cup end. The longitudinal cup channel is in fluid communication with the fuel channel. The injector cup also includes a generally planar surface extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
The present invention also comprises a method of removing a fuel supply assembly from an engine, the fuel supply assembly comprising a fuel injector, an injector cup, and a connector shell. The method comprises displacing the injector cup in a first direction along a longitudinal axis, the injector cup engaging a retainer ring and compressing the retainer ring toward the longitudinal axis, the retainer ring releasing the connector shell; displacing the connector shell in a second direction along the longitudinal axis; displacing the connector shell and the injector cup together in the second direction and removing the connector shell and the injector cup from the fuel injector; rotating the fuel injector about the longitudinal axis, disengaging the fuel injector from a retainer sleeve in the engine; and displacing the fuel injector in the second direction and removing the fuel injector from the engine.
The present invention also provides a fuel injector assembly insertable into an engine head having a head opening including sidewalls. The assembly comprises a fuel injector and a sleeve. The sleeve removably surrounds a lower portion of the fuel injector. The sleeve includes a plurality of retaining teeth extending outward from the fuel injector. The sleeve is insertable into the head opening such that the retaining teeth engage the sidewalls in the head opening. Additionally, when the sleeve is inserted into the head opening, the injector is rotatable relative to the sleeve such that the injector is removable from the sleeve, and the sleeve remains in the head opening.